An active sex life is known to have its own list of health benefits. From boosting your immune system to even reducing your risk of a heart attack, regular sex is almost as good as physical exercise. However, not every woman gets to experience a sexually active life for a variety of reasons.
If you’ve ever wondered whether lack of sex can have an impact on your vagina then the answer to your question is: yes, it can. Here is a look at the four most common changes to vaginas that women experience because of not having sex.
Sex can hurt
It’s normal to expect some kind of physical discomfort when having sex for the first time or after a really long break. Brett Worly, MD, an ob-gyn at The Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center explains that this happens because the muscles aren’t used to having sex, according to a report in prevention.com.
No entry
Sometimes the vaginal muscles can get so contracted that any kind of penetration – be it from a finger or even a tampon – becomes virtually impossible. This condition is known as vaginismus and requires medical attention. Sex therapist Holly Richmond advises seeing a gynecologist to get a diagnosis and a recommendation for a pelvic-floor physical therapist.
Loss of sex drive
When a person stops having orgasms for a long period of time, their body stops requesting them. In other words, a woman might experience a lack of lust and may get accustomed to a sexless routine. Of course, this also means that you can lose out on all the health benefits that sexual activity has to offer.
Vaginal atrophy
Oestrogen levels in women fall dramatically during menopause. This has a major effect on your lady bits as the vagina and vulva have more oestrogen receptors than any other part of the body. Therefore it is important for even postmenopausal women to indulge in regular sex as an inactive sex life can result in vaginal atrophy. For those who don’t know, vaginal atrophy occurs when the walls of the vagina dry out and become more vulnerable to tears and injuries.
